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Home » Condiment

Published: Aug 2, 2019 · Modified: Jun 20, 2021 by Kathy

Jalapeno Apricot Sauce

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Chicken drumsticks covered with an orange glaze.

A sweet and spicy apricot sauce that's perfect for basting on barbecued chicken, glazing meatballs or serving over cream cheese with crackers. This jalapeno apricot sauce is so tasty with just a touch of heat.

This simple sauce is made with fresh apricots, jalapenos, sugar and white wine vinegar. 

A glass jar filled with an orange glaze with jalapenos.

Why make this sauce

Jalapeno Apricot Sauce - is it a jam or is it a sauce? The answer is yes to both! This starts out as a jam but then white wine vinegar and fresh jalapenos are added and it becomes a sauce.

The vinegar adds a bit of a tang, that makes it perfect for adding to barbecued meats, glazing cocktail meatballs or serving as an appetizer on top of cream cheese.

This tasty sauce can also be used in my baked apricot chicken recipe! Just use this sauce in place of the homemade apricot jam sauce.

Key ingredients

Apricots, jalapeno and sugar together on a board.
  • Fresh apricots
  • Jalapeno
  • Sugar
  • White wine vinegar

Step by step directions

  • Cut apricots in half and remove pit. Cut apricots into small chunks.
  • Add apricots and sugar to a sauce pot.
A pot with sugar and cut apricots.
  • Heat over medium heat stirring often. 
  • Continue cooking until temperature reaches 220°
Apricot jam in a pot.
  • Add chopped jalapenos and vinegar.
  • Cook over low heat for an additional 5 minutes.
Apricot jam with finely chopped jalapenos.
  • Remove from heat and place in a heatproof dish.

Recipe tips

  • No need to remove skin from apricots - just remove pit and chop into small pieces
  • Remove seeds from jalapenos and chop jalapenos into a small dice. Use caution when handling jalapenos. The spicy oils will transfer to your hands - avoid touching your eyes or other sensitive areas.
Diced jalapeno peppers.
  • Stir sauce often to avoid scorching
  • Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools

Shortcut method

I like to make this sauce from scratch, using fresh apricots. However, sometimes fresh might not be available or you want a sauce quicker than making from scratch. This shortcut method works really well.

  • Use one cup of prepared apricot jam
  • Heat jam over medium heat along with the vinegar and jalapenos
  • Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes
  • Remove from heat and use as desired
A basting brush dripping with an apricot sauce over a jar filled with the sauce.

Ways to use sauce

  • Use as a glaze with barbecued chicken breast - add during the final 10 minutes of cooking. Baste and turn every few minutes.
  • Pour over cream cheese and serve with crackers
  • Use  with cocktail meatballs
  • Use as a dip for chicken nuggets or coconut shrimp
  • Bake in wonton cups
  • Add to a toasted bagel with cream cheese
  • As a dipping sauce with chicken tenders
Drumsticks with a sticky glaze on a white platter.

Recipe Faqs

How does the sauce thicken?

Apricots contain natural pectin. The sauce is heated to 220° which is the temperature needed for jam to set.

How long will sauce last?

The sauce will last up to two weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

A pastry brush with an orange sauce dripping from the brush.

More great apricot recipes

If you have an abundance of apricots or just love them as much as I do, you'll also want to check out these recipes!

  • Apricot Jam
  • Apricot Sweet Rolls
  • Apricot Sorbet

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

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A glass jar filled with an orange glaze with jalapenos.

Jalapeno Apricot Sauce

Kathy Berget
A sweet and spicy sauce perfect for using as a barbecue glaze or served with cream cheese and crackers.
4.99 from 50 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cup
Calories 55 kcal

Equipment

  • Instant Read Thermometer
  • Measuring Cups
  • Chef Knife
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup apricots (chopped)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 jalapeno (finely diced)
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar

Instructions
 

  • Add chopped apricots and sugar to a sauce pan.
    1 cup apricots, 1 cup sugar
  • Heat over medium heat until temperature of sauce reaches 220° F or reaches the gel stage for jam.
  • Add jalapenos and vinegar and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring often.
    1 jalapeno, ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • Remove from heat and add to a heat proof container. Store in refrigerator until use or use right away.

Notes

Shortcut method:
I like to make this sauce from scratch, using fresh apricots. However, sometimes fresh might not be available or you want a sauce quicker than making from scratch. This shortcut method works really well.
  • Use one cup of prepared apricot jam
  • Heat jam over medium heat along with the vinegar and jalapenos
  • Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes
  • Remove from heat and use as desired
 
Tips:
  • No need to remove skin from apricots - just remove pit and chop into small pieces
  • Remove seeds from jalapenos and chop jalapenos into a small dice. Use caution when handling jalapenos. The spicy oils will transfer to your hands - avoid touching your eyes or other sensitive areas.
  • Stir sauce often to avoid scorching
  • Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools
  •  

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1TablespoonCalories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 28mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 196IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gina says

    July 03, 2025 at 3:21 pm

    Can you use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar? Thx! Recipe is amazing!!!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 04, 2025 at 5:21 am

      Yes, either will work. I used rice vinegar the other day and that worked too!
      Thanks so much! 🙂

      Reply
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4.99 from 50 votes (34 ratings without comment)

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I'm Kathy, and I love to create delicious recipes from scratch utilizing many ingredients that we grow and raise. I'm a recipe creator, food photographer, and cookbook author!

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